Tag: Ekiti

2023 election: 205,127 PVCs uncollected in Ekiti – INEC

Barely three months to the 2023 general elections in the country, 205,127 eligible voters in Ekiti are yet to collect their permanent voter cards (PVC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, made this known on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti at a stakeholders’ meeting and urged owners of the PVCs to go to the INEC offices in their LGA to pick their cards.

The REC said INEC had approved the commencement of the distribution of the Permanent Voters Card nationwide from Dec. 12 to Jan. 22, 2023, noting that the exercise would take place in all the 16 Local Government Areas offices of the commission in the state.

He said the exercise would devolve to registration areas (wards) from Jan. 6, 2023 till Jan. 15. 2023.

“There will be issuance register which will be pasted in each LGA for registrants to check their names before proceeding to the collection point, this will ease the collection procedure, fast track the process and reduce the congestion always experienced at the collection point.

“I solicit your advocacy as stakeholders in the state to encourage collection of the remaining 205,127 PVCs yet to be collected in the state.

“Only 783,796 voter cards have so far been collected out of the 988,923 registered voters in Ekiti, meaning 205, 127 PVCs are yet to be collected,’’ Salami said.

The REC also said that the commission was in the process of relocating some Registration Area Centers (RACs) and Super Registration Area Centers S/RACs as well as collations centers that were hitherto not appropriately located in some LGAs.

Salami further said that the commission in the state had embarked on decongesting densely populated polling centres and moving some of the electorate to sparsely populated ones in the same location or cluster.

He said the decongestion would go a long way to reduce unnecessary queues and waste of time at the polling units by voters on election days.

The REC said that INEC in the state had intensified public enlightenment and voter education programmes through the mass media, outreaches to markets and other public places ahead of the elections.

“Meetings and consultations with Civil Society Organization s (CSOs) are also on going, on this, on a regular basis”, he said.

Responding, the youth representative, Mr Segun Bankole, and Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria Ekiti State and IPAC representative, Mr. Daramola Owolabi, advised INEC to ensure people relocated to new polling centres were promptly informed.

Also a representative of People Living with Disabilities PWDs, Mr Kayode Owolabi solicited for participation of PWDs, as adhoc staff, in the forthcoming general elections.

The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalist, Ekiti State Council, Mr Rotimi Ojomoyela, appealed to INEC to intensify voter education and sensitisation, so as to avoid repeat cases of invalid votes as recorded in the June 18 Governorship election in the state.

13/12/2022
Ekiti Assembly sacks speaker, as Adelugba takes over

The Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, Gboyega Aribisogan, has been sacked by members of the House.

Aribisogan was sacked on Monday as Olubunmi Adelugba was elected as the new Speaker.

Seventeen out of the 25 members impeached the Speaker and elected a new one.

The Assembly Complex was earlier sealed as members were embroiled in a controversy following the death of the former Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye.

66-year-old Afuye had died at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital on October 19, after suffering cardiac arrest.

A month after his demise, the parliament held an election and Aribisogan, who is the representative of Ikole 1 Constituency in the Assembly and a two-term lawmaker, emerged.

Aribisogan had accused former Governor Kayode Fayemi of sponsoring some lawmakers to sack him.

The embattled speaker, who spoke on a Channels TV programme, ‘Sunday Politics’, alleged that the former governor was against his emergence because he was perceived as a betrayer.

He claimed that some lawmakers loyal to Fayemi had perfected plans to impeach him on Monday (today) during plenary.

The former leader of Government Business, who emerged as speaker having polled 15 votes to defeat his rival, Bunmi Adelugba, said happenings in the Assembly since his emergence were plotting to remove him from office and impose Adelugba.

Aribisogan, in his TV interview on Sunday, said, “When Fayemi called us to his residence and said he wanted us to support Hon Adelugba, I stood up to say that could not be done by fiat or by imposition; that we had leaders that we had to consult and that we would get back to them. Ordinarily, we should be looking at the constitution and the standing order of the House.”

He said he still tried to reach Fayemi through a text message on Saturday night, saying, “Up till now, he has not done anything on it, but he has been calling our members to go and impeach me tomorrow (Monday). As I speak with you, seven of our members are locked up in a guest house in Ado Ekiti in cahoots with some of his former aides.

“They don’t want democratic processes to take place in the Assembly and these people are even with arms, saying they are going to assassinate the speaker and take over the place tomorrow (Monday) morning.

“Majority of the members of the Assembly voted for me, but a few of them, who felt that perhaps I did not follow the directive of the former governor of the state, felt that they would make the place ungovernable for my administration.”

The Speaker said, “The Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Biodun Oyebanji assured that the government was looking into it and that there would be amicable resolution until about 24 hours ago when we began to see that some clandestine moves are being made to invade the House of Assembly on Monday morning.

“I want prominent people in Ekiti State like Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Wole Olanipekun and Femi Falana and all our traditional rulers to be on the lookout and save democracy in Ekiti State.”

21/11/2022
Gov Oyebanji swears in two appointees, says he is not under pressure by predecessor

Hon Biodun Oyebanji

Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti swore in the newly-appointed Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Habibat Adubiaro and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, his eighth day in office.

He used the occasion to dispel rumours that he was under pressure from his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, his wife, Mrs Bisi Fayemi and former deputy governor in the state to appoint their cronies into his cabinet.

“We are not going to be distracted as long as we are doing what is right in the interest of our people.

“While I recognise the right of people to freedom of expression, I also have the right to respond to the fake news being circulated on the social media.

“I need to put it on record that neither the former governor nor his wife, nor the former deputy governor has put any pressure on me to appoint anybody.

“If I have to go back to the former cabinet and appoint relevant people that can assist me, I will go and pick them,’’ he said.

The governor charged the two new appointees to develop new socio-political skills and emotional intelligence to move the state forward.

He stressed that the two appointees were appointed based on their rich credentials and experiences.

Oyebanji restated his promise to get very competent Ekiti indigenes wherever were to man strategic positions in his administration.

He recalled his promise to appoint the best set of individuals in managing the affairs of Ekiti to bring about the fulfilment of his campaign promises.

“Having listened to the Curriculum Vitaes of the two appointees, it would be discovered that they got the jobs clearly on merit.

“My promise to Ekiti people is that I am going to look for the best anywhere to help me to run Ekiti and that is what we are going to do,’’ he stressed.

Oyebanji expressed his confidence in the professionalism and competence of Adubiaro to serve as Secretary to the State Government.

According to him, her appointment was in consonance with his administration’s commitment to gender balance, affirmative action and equity.

Adubiaro holds a doctorate degree in Chemistry and was formerly vice-chairman of ASUU, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.

Apata was Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice.

24/10/2022
Ekiti Assembly declares 7-day mourning over Speaker’s death

Funminiyi Afuye, the Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker, passed away on Wednesday.

ROYAL NEWS reports that Afuye represented Ikere constituency 1 representative aged 66 died at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti, the capital.

It was gathered that Afuye was rushed to the hospital in the early hours of Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the lawmaker attended the Thanksgiving Service for Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who just assumed office.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti Assembly has declares 7 days mourning over the Speaker’s death.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti, the chairman House Committee on media, Mrs Yemisi Ayokunle said the flag in the Assembly complex would be flown at half mast during the period.

Mrs Ayokunle, who described the late Speaker as an embodiment of courage, excellence and a highly committed man to public service, maintained that Mr Afuye will be greatly missed.

According to the statement, the Speaker died on Wednesday evening during a brief illness at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, at the age of 66.

20/10/2022
APC more formidable to win Ekiti guber election, says former dep. Speaker

From Francis Adekunle, Ado-Ekiti

Former Deputy Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, has been repositioned to win the June 18 governorship election.

Olatunbosun said the efforts of the Reconciliation Committee put in place is yielding dividends with more of the aspirants who lost in the shadow poll expressing readiness to work for the party at the polls.

The Chairman of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Commission said opposition party hoping to harvest members from the APC over the January 27 governorship primary would be disappointed on grounds that many of the aggrieved members have resolved to sheathe their swords.

Olatunbosun, said the APC flag bearer, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, was “popularly elected and chosen by overwhelming majority of party members.”

Olatunbosun who is also a former Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation believes that the APC would coast home to victory on the strength of what he called “the good legacies and impressive performance” of Governor Kayode Fayemi in over three years in office.

He appealed to the Ekiti electorate to ensure continuity of good governance in the state for the first time in its history for all the policies, programmes and projects being executed to be consolidated for the good of the people.

Olatunbosun said: “The APC is getting stronger everyday and it is in a pole position to win the forthcoming governorship election. Those parties wishing to harvest members from the APC will be disappointed at the end because of the internal reconciliation going on.

“Politics is about interests and all the people being referred to as aggrieved, they have said it openly and publicly that they are not leaving the party and they are going to work for the party at the election.

“The truth of the matter is that the Reconciliation Committee has been out in place and working very hard on the assignment it has been saddled with. The candidate elected in the primary was popularly elected and as a matter of fact, the election was free and fair.

“We may have some individuals who may be disappointed that they were not elected at the primary because they would have lived to be governor but the truth of the matter is that we can only have one governorship candidate.

“A governorship candidate, a popular one has been elected and he has extended his hands of fellowship to all of them that contested with him and they have Al pledged to work for the party.

“The issue of the governorship primary has been laid to rest and I can assure you that all the people that participated in that primary have pledged and publicly pledged that they are going to work for the party.

“Until we we get to the campaign ground, you will see people, you will see almost all of them (contestants at the primary) on the campaign train, it is then that you will believe that our party is strong, prepared and ready to win and continue in governance.”

Olatunbosun said: “For the first time, Ekiti needs continuity, Ekiti needs stability to continue with the development that has started very well under the leadership of JKF (Fayemi).

“For the first time, we should try what we have never experienced and if people are talking about Lagos and other states, what can make a society to develop in a progressive manner is stability and this has starter with the food performance of JKF in Ekiti.”

23/03/2022
Ekiti man jailed six months for attempted Cyber fraud in Kwara

By Arowona Abdulazeez, Ilorin

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 secured the conviction of one Adeshina Michael Oluwafemi from Ekiti State, South West, Nigeria for posing to be a white man in order to defraud his unsuspecting victims.

Adeshina was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment by Justice Adenike Akinpelu of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, after the judge found him guilty of one count charge levelled against him by the anti-graft agency.

The charge reads:

“That you, Adeshina Michael Oluwafemi (a.k,a Viki Ron) Sometime in May 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court attempted to commit an offence of cheating by personation by pretending and representing yourself to be a white man called Viki Ron who was in relationship with a white Woman, Carol Richard as it is contained in your gmail account: ronv553@gmail.comand thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 95 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria”

The defendant pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him.

Following his guilty plea, counsel to the EFCC, Aliyu Adebayo, called a witness who is an operative of the EFCC to review the facts of the case. The witness narrated how the defendant was arrested based on credible intelligence. The witness tendered the defendant’s Hauwel Phone, fraudulent messages printed from his device as well as his extra-judicial statements and were admitted in evidence.

Adebayo, thereafter urged the court to consider the plea of the defendant, the extra-judicial statements and all the exhibits tendered and hold that the prosecution has proved its case and convict the defendant as charged.

In his judgement, Justice Akinpelu said the court was satisfied with the case of the prosecution and pronounced Adeshina guilty of the charge.

The judge sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only). The court also ordered the forfeiture of the convict’s Hauwel Phone which was used to perpetrate the crime to the Federal Government.

17/03/2022
Court frees man accused of 419 by wife

From Francis Adekunle, Ado-Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has discharged and acquitted one Babalola Adegoke Oluwaseun (36) for alleged offence of obtaining money by false pretense.

In the charge sheet, Babalola Adegoke on 4th & 16th February, 2021 at Iye Ekiti in Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State did obtain and steal the sum of N3.150m from one Isah Mary contrary to Section 419(2) and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The victim in her statement admitted that Adegoke was her husband, she said in 2015, she processed and collected her late father’s entitlement that retired as a senior Police Officer and died same year. She said a sum of over five Million naira was paid to her account as his next of kin out of which her husband under false pretense obtained a sum of N3.150m and converted same to his personal use.

The prosecutor, Barrister Kolapo Kolade called two witnesses to proof his case while exhibits tendered include, nominal complainant’s statements of account, minute’s sheets from the Police, cash sales invoice, among others.

The defendants in his testimony before court denied obtaining or stealing any money as alleged by the complainant adding that, he has been taking care of the defendant and their two children even before and after the death of her father, he called three witnesses during his defense.

In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said, “I am unable to hold that the prosecution has proved the charge of obtaining money under false pretense from the claimant.

Justice Ogunmoye, said in all, the sole issue for determination is resolved against the prosecution. I hold that the prosecution had not proved its case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. He is discharged and acquitted on both counts. He concluded.

08/03/2022
Ekiti APC inaugurates campaign coordinators for June election

From Francis Adekunle, Ado-Ekiti

The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has inaugurated campaign coordinators executives in the state and local governments for the candidate of the party, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for the June 18, Governorship election.

The party also inauguration an office named “BAO Family Network Office” located at the Ijigbo roundabout, in Ado-Ekiti.

Speaking at the occasion, the co-ordinator of the campaign team, Mrs Toyin Agbaje, said the initiative is part of their strategy towards ensuring the success of the APC candidate during the governorship election in the state.

Agbaje, said the activities of the group is to envangelise the need for continuity of the APC-led administration in Ekiti State and to interact with people from one community to the other within the state.

“We discovered that many people were yet to register for their voter’s card despite their love for the APC flagbearer, we have commenced a strategy to help eligible voters to register for their voter’s card by moving from one rural area to another, helping them to register on our android applications and later convey them to the Independent National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) office for physical capturing.

“Similarly, we have printed several copies of handbills to inform members of the public on how go about with their voters card registration. However within the last couples of weeks, we have turned this office to a registration center. Over five personnel have been employed to help in registration of voters”

She reiterated the readiness of the group to embark on what she called aggressive sensitisation and campaign across all the sixteen local governments and 177 wards across the state on the need to support the APC candidate during the election.

Agbaje disclosed that as part of the activities of the group, it has also mapped out various market days in some major towns and villages on the need for the people of the state to have PVC and vote for the candidate of the party during the conduct of the election.

She said as part of the activities of her group, it has concluded plans and terget about 16,000 voters to be delivered for the candidate of the APC during the election.

Speaking earlier, the candidate of the APC, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, commended members of the campaign team and tasked them to work towards the success of the party in the state.

Oyebanji, assured them of his support which would enable them to perform better and ensure the success of the APC during the conduct of the election.

07/03/2022
Ekiti community protests over autonomy, wants Fayemi”s protection

From Francis Adekunle, Ado-Ekiti

The people of Odo- Odo community, a section of Iworoko Ekiti in Irepodun /Ifelodun local government area of Ekiti State have protested over relegation of Arinjale title to a chieftaincy status instead of a full-fledged monarch and denial of the town of autonomy by the state government.

The indigenes, who are descendants of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, pointed out the failure of government to grant them autonomy by successive administrations, despite being the first settlers, had caused a setback in terms of development, recognition and democracy dividends.

The spokesman of the placard-carrying protesters, Prince Julius Babalola, said these in Iworoko Ekiti, during a peaceful protest to demand autonomy for Arinjale of Odo-Odo and the entire community.

Babalola pointed out that the Intelligence Report of 1933, Ondo State chieftaincy review commission of 1978 and a book written by Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, rated Arinjale as a full fledged monarch, wondering why the title was being relegated by government.

According to him, Arinjale, had settled in Iworoko Ekiti since 1891, with well established royal dynasty before being joined in 1932 by Alaworoko , who now superintend over the town as the only recognised King.

Babalola, regretted how the town was politically manipulated out of recognition and denied of autonomy by Justices Silas Oyewole and Jide Aladejana-led chieftaincy review commissions of 2014 and 2020 respectively.

“Our progenitor, Gberubioya, a prince from Ado Ekiti came to this place in 1891 with his crown and people . We didn’t meet anybody here. Alaworoko came from Ila Orangun in Osun State to join us 41 years after.

“We already had a full fledged royal dynasty before he joined us. But we are not enjoying recognition and development, because we are not given autonomy. How can we be treated this way in a land we founded and suffered for?

” The Chieftaincy Intelligence Report of 1933 said on page 22 that there are two political heads in Iworoko : The Alaworoko and Arinjale and that they are of the same class and strength.

” How can we now be put under Alaworoko when it was clear that we have our own Oba but not recognised? This is injustice and Governor Kayode Fayemi must correct this. We merit it going by history and tradition”.

Babalola stressed further that during the proceedings of the Ondo State Chieftaincy review commission of 1978, that the then Alaworoko did openly confess before panelists that there are two broad sections in Iworoko,but pleaded that he wanted the town to remain united instead of being divided.

“Despite these avalanche of evidence of our established monarchy here, the Justices Silas Oyewole and Jide Aladejana- led review commissions of 2014, and 2020 said the Memoranda we submitted to grant us autonomy lacked merit.

“Autonomy is part of democracy dividends . We have always been supporting the APC government and we have a rich history supporting our case, so we appeal to Governor Fayemi to grant our request before bowing out on October 15,2022”.

Babalola also appealed to Fayemi to stop the management of Iworoko Community secondary school from further encroaching on their lands given to the institution in 1975 for the establishment of the school, saying about 29.9 hectares of lands had been forcefully hijacked from them.

07/03/2022
Former Ekiti deputy Gov., Alabi, drums support for APC candidate, Oyebanji

From Francis Adekunle, Ado-Ekiti

Chief Paul Alabi, a former deputy governor of Ekiti State, has solicited the support of Ekiti people, regardless of their political parties to support the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, in the June 18 governorship election.

Oyebanji and other APC leaders, visited Chief Alabi, at his Ijesa-Isu Ekiti country home, saying having worked closely with Oyebanji, in the past and had taken time to follow his career trajectory over the years, he could vouch for him as a committed Ekitiman, who would take the state to the next level.

“In the spirit of the ‘thank you visit’ I want to commend members of APC for pushing forward a candidate that we can all rely on as a purposeful leader. I have known Biodun Oyebanji, for over 20 years and can confidently say that he is one of our best. He combines many things; quality education, good upbringing and youthfulness. To me, he
is a bridge between the old and the young ones and he understands what it takes to govern Ekiti,”

Earlier, the leader of the team and Chairman, Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Alaba Bejide, has described Chief Alabi as a committed Ekiti leader who do not believe in the state but has taken conscious effort to contribute his quota and develop the state.

“Beyond the fact that Chief Paul Alabi had served as deputy governor of our great state, it is on record that he is one of few Ekiti leaders who have made conscious efforts to grow the state economy through agric business. Today, Chief Alabi, is one of the biggest investors in the Agricultural sector and he is an employer of labour,”

Oyebanji, while commending Chief Alabi, for his support for him and Ekiti people in general, said he considered himself lucky to have learnt under the feet of a disciplined leader like the elder statesman.

“Chief Alabi is not only a former boss to me but a father-figure who had used his wealth of experience to lift many of us intellectually and in the art of leadership. We came here today to appreciate him for his support and if by God’s grace I emerge as governor of Ekiti State, no doubt the fact that he will still remain our mentor,” Oyebanji stated.

23/02/2022